“After Magistrate Liu took office, the Zhang family came to pledge allegiance to him. From someone or other, they learned of this mine. First, they purchased the mountain from the government office, then pretended to accidentally discover the copper mine. For the past four years, they have been mining it.”

Zhao Kuan glanced at Liu Kun, saying, “This mass grave was also put back into use. Excavating to this layer, the coroners say these are all bones from within the past three years. Going further down are bones from even earlier times.”

In other words, most of the people in this mass grave had died during Liu Kun’s tenure.

Zhao Hanzhang clenched her fists, her breathing becoming somewhat rapid, then turned and walked away.

Liu Kun stared blankly at the mass grave for a moment, then followed in a daze.

After walking some distance where there were few people around, Zhao Hanzhang could no longer suppress her anger. She turned and kicked Liu Kun.

Liu Kun had been following in a daze, unable to react in time. He was kicked in the stomach, his whole body flying backward, then rolling down the slope like a barrel.

His attendant was shocked and reached out to grab him but missed. Crying out in alarm, “Your Excellency!” he scrambled down to rescue him.

Zhao Hanzhang was also stunned, then quickly ran down to help.

Liu Kun hit a tree with a thud, his body tilting to the side as if about to fall past the tree and continue rolling down. At the critical moment, Zhao Hanzhang slid down the slope, faster than his attendant, and grabbed him.

Zhao Hanzhang braced one foot against the tree, the other firmly planted in the dirt, then yanked him toward her, pulling him over. Seeing that although his face was pale, his eyes were wide open and he was conscious.

She irritably punched him in the face, “Playing dead for whom? Don’t think I won’t hold you accountable just because of this. So many people died unjustly during your tenure. I, I truly wish I could kick you off this cliff!”

Liu Kun finally came to his senses, tears streaming down his face, “Hanzhang, I am guilty, but I truly knew nothing of this matter. If I had known…”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “You’re lucky you didn’t know. If you had known, your head would already be separated from your body.”

The attendant finally carefully made his way down the slope, but he had no suitable foothold. His whole body trembling, he couldn’t help crying out, “Magistrate Zhao, I beg Magistrate Zhao to save our master. You mustn’t strike him again.”

Zhao Hanzhang saw he looked about to slide off the cliff at any moment and said irritably, “Take care of yourself.”

Zhao Kuan ran over with personal guards, tied a rope securely, and threw it down. Zhao Hanzhang, holding Liu Kun motionless, let the attendant go up first.

The attendant hesitated, then, after Zhao Hanzhang glared at him twice, quickly grabbed the rope. The guards immediately pulled him up.

Liu Kun was also stunned, turning his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him with a puzzled expression and asked, “Too overcome with guilt to speak?”

Liu Kun was about to speak when the rope dropped on his head. Zhao Hanzhang, multitasking, held Liu Kun with one hand and caught the rope with the other, then looped it around Liu Kun.

She tied the rope securely before having them pull him up.

By the time Zhao Hanzhang was pulled up, Liu Kun was still lying on the ground motionless. Zhao Hanzhang was so angry she wanted to give him another kick, but then saw him suddenly scramble up and grab her legs, bursting into tears.

Zhao Hanzhang: …

She tried to pull her legs free but found she couldn’t, so she simply let him cry.

Liu Kun was emotionally expressive. This bout of crying lasted two full periods. Zhao Kuan could still sit on the grass supporting his chin to watch, but she could only stand, and standing motionless for two periods felt utterly exhausting.

Not just physically, but mentally as well.

Zhao Hanzhang silently waited for him to finish crying. She pulled her legs free, distastefully shaking her soaked pant legs, and asked the sobbing Liu Kun, “Yueshi, do you still want to prevent me from thoroughly investigating this case?”

Liu Kun’s face was pale, his whole person dejected. “Even in peaceful times, not to mention chaotic ones, these families inevitably have a few lives on their hands. So I always believed that as long as they accomplish something and save the people, if more people live because of them than die, that’s merit outweighing fault, something that can be tolerated.”

“But today I see I was wrong,” Liu Kun couldn’t help crying again, sobbing, “You were right. How can people who regard human life as grass save the people? I was wrong in my thinking, wrong…”

Zhao Hanzhang had originally planned to wait some time before bringing this up, but now she couldn’t resist reaching out to pat his shoulder, saying, “Yueshi, Jinyang is no longer suitable for you. Come with me to Xuzhou.”

Liu Kun looked up at her blankly.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I appoint you as Governor of Xuzhou. Go to Xuzhou and manage it well for me.”

She earnestly advised, “Xuzhou is a prosperous region. After this war, all under heaven will need to rest and recuperate. I need capable officials to manage Xuzhou for me, to let the people rest. You have compassion for the people and can govern well. You’re the best choice for Xuzhou.”

Liu Kun was tempted yet reluctant. After all, Jinyang was something he had rebuilt with his own hands. To suddenly leave it…

Liu Kun’s heart was torn. He couldn’t help saying to Zhao Hanzhang, “I plan to reorganize Jinyang. Rest assured, this time I will never allow such things to happen again.”

Zhao Hanzhang sighed, “But Jinyang has much warfare. Elder brother, it’s not that your little sister looks down on you, but you are truly disadvantaged in warfare.”

Liu Kun’s face darkened, unwilling to admit he lacked military talent. “I’ve practiced martial arts since childhood. In swordsmanship, I consider myself no worse than you. I’ve also studied military texts since young, able to recite the Six Secret Teachings and Sun Bin’s Art of War backward and forward. Since coming to Jinyang, I’ve slept with my weapon by my side, successfully defending Jinyang for five years. How am I inadequate?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Elder brother, Zhao Kuo could also discuss military strategy better than anyone.”

Liu Kun became angry, “Are you saying I’m all theory and no practice?”

“Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Yueshi, you’re inadequate in military matters, but you write excellent prose. Not only I, but even Zu Ti is far inferior to you, not to mention your musical accomplishments, which are unmatched. Don’t always try to do what you’re not good at. Do what you excel at.”

Liu Kun insisted, “You’re not me. How do you know I’m not good at it? Just wait. I’ll prove it to you in battle.”

Having said this, he stopped crying, got up from the ground, and hobbled away supporting his waist.

Zhao Hanzhang: …

Zhao Kuan walked over to Zhao Hanzhang with a complicated expression, “If I remember correctly, Liu Yueshi’s first battle was a defeat, wasn’t it?”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded.

Zhao Kuan said, “And afterward, he had no major victories.”

Zhao Hanzhang still nodded.

Zhao Kuan asked, “Then where does his confidence come from, believing he can win battles?”

Zhao Hanzhang said nothing.

Liu Kun hobbled home. The people who had surrounded the Governor’s Mansion had already been persuaded to leave by Fan Ying. Knowing that Zhao Hanzhang would seek justice for them, the people and refugees of Jinyang wiped their tears and left one after another.

Even so, Liu Kun didn’t dare enter through the main gate but instead hobbled through the side door, covered in dirt from head to toe.

As soon as he entered, the steward rushed up anxiously, saying, “Master, the old master and mistress were frightened.”

Liu Kun, upon hearing this, turned to see his parents, but after taking two steps, he realized his appearance would only worry the two elders more. He quickly told the steward, “Hurry and fetch a new set of clothes.”

But before the steward could fetch them, Lady Guo and Liu Fan came supporting each other. Seeing him in such a disheveled state, Liu Fan could only sigh repeatedly.